Beauty and the Immortal
by Sandrine C
Summary: Set post TVD Season 4. As a spell goes awry, Caroline is thrown back in time and her journey back is entwined with Klaus' past.
1. Chapter 1

**Beauty and the Immortal**

**Disclaimer: The characters and other things from The Vampire Diaries don't belong to me. Credit goes to the rightful owners**

_**Prologue: Once upon a time**_

"Am I supposed to glow?" Caroline asked Elena warily.

"No…" Elena said, turning to Jeremy, "Can you ask Bonnie what's going on?"

"I think she's in some sort of shock." Jeremy said looking alarmed as he stepped towards the unseen Bonnie. "She just keeps saying 'Silas' over and over again. Bonnie! Snap out of it."

"Well, tell her to stop! I'm glowing like a neon sign over here and it is _not_ a good look for me." Caroline said shakily.

"Stefan's still not waking up." Elena said cursing under her breath.

"Relax." Damon said calmly as he circled Stefan's body on the floor. "The guy went through hell, literally, to defeat his doppelganger. You can't expect him to be all alert and enthusiastic all at once. I'm more concerned with vampire day glow stick over there."

"Bonnie's spell to pull back Stefan must have rebounded on Caroline." Jeremy said.

"You think?" Damon said rolling his eyes. He turned to Caroline then frowned, "Uh, is Bonnie still hanging around because I think now is the time to do something, anything really…Barbie looks like she's about to blow."

Caroline's eyes shot to Elena in alarm, "I've progressed to shimmering. Why am I shimmering?"

They all watched as tiny pinpricks of light illuminated Caroline's skin, each burst gaining strength until hundreds of light beams burst out.

"Guys?" Caroline whispered weakly before everything went black.

* * *

Caroline awoke with a gasp, clutching at her throat as she sat up. She blinked several times, her normally sharp vision somehow out of focus. Caroline looked around and found she was sitting next to a well about ten meters away from the edge of what appeared to be a forest. She pushed herself up, one hand grasping the cold stone of the well.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fi—" Caroline started, trailing off when she saw who it was—Rebekah. But not quite the original vampire she loved to hate. This version wore a long dress that seemed to be centuries out of date, hair in a neat braid and face completely devoid of any makeup. Most importantly, this one had a heartbeat.

"I'm sorry." Rebekah said, looking utterly confused, "You're wearing trousers."

"Rebekah! That's rude. Apologize."

Caroline turned and saw Elijah, for the first time, wearing clothes that hung loosely from his frame instead of the usual tailored suits he wore.

Rebekah ignored Elijah and merely narrowed her eyes at Caroline. "You're not from here, are you?"

Elijah sighed and stepped forward, "Forgive my sister, miss. She does not mean to offend. She is merely curious. It is rare that anyone new comes into our small village."

Caroline blinked rapidly, wondering if this was just a dream or her wild imagination at work but Elijah stood there expectantly and Rebekah's eyes had already become thin slits. "Yes…yes I'm new. I'm Caroline."

"I'm Elijah and this is my sister, Rebekah. Glad to meet your acquaintance." Elijah said bowing slightly but kept his distance from her.

"So where _are_ you from, Caroline?" Rebekah said placing her pail down on the ground. "What sort of place is there that allows women to prance about like men?"

Elijah glared at Rebekah but made no further comment. Caroline opened her mouth to answer but her power of speech left her when someone else came to view.

"Storm is coming. Let's go."

It was then that Caroline noticed the grey skies rolling in, rumbling as they came closer. Rebekah huffed, annoyed that her curiosity was left unsatisfied, but picked up her pail just the same and moved to leave. Elijah nodded his head towards Caroline and also turned.

"Wait!" Caroline said stepping forward, causing all of them to stop and look at her. "Is there some place here for, uh, visitors…like a hotel or something?"

"Hotel? What is that?" Rebekah asked tilting her head.

Caroline growled a little in frustration and thought of a way to explain but a low voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Do you need a place to stay, miss?"

Caroline turned towards the familiar blue eyes, hoping he would recognize her and the nightmare would dissipate but there was disappointment when she saw he was merely waiting for her answer.

Her face fell as she responded, "Yes. I need a place to stay."

"Then follow me. My name is Niklaus by the way."

Caroline sighed and muttered to herself as she followed his lead. "I know."

"What did you say?" Klaus said turning around to face her.

"Thank you. I said thank you." Caroline said quickly. "My name is Caroline…in case you wanted to know."

Klaus raised his eyebrows, his dimple showing even as he tried to suppress a smile. "Dresses like a man and lies almost smoothly as silk. We're going to get along, aren't we?"

Caroline rolled her eyes but the corners of her lips turned up slightly as she spoke, "I wouldn't count on it."

Klaus shook his head as he laughed softly, slowing down to walk beside Caroline, the silence stretching between them as darkness slowly settled over them. Storm and night crept up as Klaus kept his eyes on Rebekah who walked ahead with Elijah. "You did not intend to come to this place."

Caroline raised her eyebrows. "That's not a question."

"There's no point in asking something that's already quite apparent." Klaus said as he pulled back a branch so Caroline could pass. "My sister seems quite intent on finding out where you're from. Elijah is likely to be concerned about how you'll get home since you appear quite out of your element here."

"And you?" Caroline asked looking sideways at him.

"I'm rather interested on what sort of trouble you'll bring into my life." Klaus said with a mischievous smile.

Caroline was about to reply when Klaus stopped all of a sudden and put a finger to his lips. Rebekah and Elijah had stopped as well. Elijah had his hand protectively on his sister as he locked eyes with Klaus.

"_Run." _Klaus mouthed to Elijah. They nodded to each other and before Caroline could react, Klaus' hand was on her wrist pulling her along.

She kept pace with Klaus, concentrating on not running faster than her companion. Caroline listened carefully and noticed the disturbance in the area. She sniffed and her eyes widened in surprise when she recognized the scent.

Werewolves.

Klaus stopped by a mound of dirt, brushing away vines to reveal a large stone covering a cave entrance. "I wouldn't normally ask a lady but those…_things_ move fast….a little help then?"

Caroline nodded and pushed the rock easily. Klaus hid his surprise until they were inside, rock safely rolled back into place.

They listened to the howls of the wind and the creatures outside. Caroline's eyes adjusted to the darkness and noticed that Klaus was watching her, even if he could barely see her.

"We'll be safe here, right?" Caroline said as she eyed the entrance and tiny crack that allowed some moonlight to shine through.

"You are." Klaus said slowly, pushing off the wall that he was leaning against, letting the moonlight illuminate part of his face. "Am _I_ safe here with _you_?"

Caroline laughed, the sound echoing in the small cave. "I never imagined I'd hear those words from…look, don't mind me. What makes you think you're not safe with me?"

Klaus looked at her, scrutinizing everything he could see with the little light they had. Caroline stood still, watching him watch her, as she wondered how it was that Klaus was so different and still somehow be exactly the same. After about five minutes Klaus stepped forward and placed his hand once more on her wrist, lifting it to place it on his chest.

He looked her straight in the eyes as he spoke. "Because your heart does not beat like mine, love. In fact, it does not beat at all."


	2. Chapter 1: At the beginning

**Beauty and the Immortal**

**Disclaimer: The characters and other things from The Vampire Diaries don't belong to me. Credit goes to the rightful owners**

_**Chapter 1: At the beginning**_

Caroline pulled back her hand from his grasp and backed herself to the wall. "I don't…what makes you think…I'm fine. I'm fine. Okay?"

"I did not say there was something wrong with you." Klaus said calmly. "I just said your heart does not beat. If anything I should be the one flustered and cowering in a corner."

"I am _not_ cowering." Caroline said lifting her chin. "You're imagining things."

Klaus smiled, trying hard not to laugh, he took a step towards her. "Perhaps. But your hands are too cold and there is no pulse from any vein that I could feel when I held your wrist."

"Well, maybe you're just not good at it." Caroline said as she tried to keep her arms out of view.

"I would think this is when you dare me to try and test my theory…yet you simply get more and more defensive. Why is that?" Klaus asked.

"Why do you even need to know?" Caroline burst out. "What will it change if you figure this out?"

"Maybe nothing. Maybe everything." Klaus said taking another step forward. "I simply prefer not to live in ignorance. Like with those _wolves_ out there. They all pretend they are wild animals but what creature would wreak havoc only on a full moon? And add to that, the viciousness they exhibit is completely unnatural. I've accepted they're more than what people talk about…and knowing that helps me keep myself and my family safe. It helps me protect them."

"And what if…what if I'm dangerous?" Caroline asked hesitantly. "What will you do?"

With that Klaus smiled, tilted his head in amusement before replying. "I would proclaim that you're the most beautiful danger to walk this earth."

Caroline rolled her eyes and crossed her arms in front of her. "I can kill you in under a minute, Klaus."

"Klaus…" he whispered. "No one has ever called me that."

"Yeah, well it suits you." Caroline said forcefully, trying to cover her slip. "Look, you're better off not knowing anything about me. The first chance I get, I'll be out of your way and you can just forget you ever met me."

Without warning, Klaus hurled a rock at Caroline's head, which she caught neatly.

"Hey!" Caroline said throwing the rock on the floor. "What was that for?"

"Now, how can I ever forget someone who can do that?" Klaus said nodding towards her.

A werewolf howled outside, followed by a chorus made by the rest of the pack. Caroline flinched and eyed the small crack at the mouth of the entrance.

"Are you sure they can't get through that?" Caroline asked.

"No." Klaus answered slowly. "You're afraid of them. Why?"

Caroline groaned and sat down on the floor, "Fine. I'll answer three questions starting with that one…but that's it, then we sleep."

"As you wish." Klaus said following her lead and sat down in front of her.

"Yes, I'm afraid of them." Caroline started. "Because their venom…their bite is lethal to someone like me."

"So you are also not quite human." Klaus said.

"Is that a question?" Caroline said with a smirk.

"A mere observation." Klaus answered with a smile. "Where are you from?"

"Not here." Caroline said simply.

"That's obvious enough." Klaus said impatiently. "Give a real answer. Come on, love. Live on the edge and trust me a little."

"Mystic Falls." Caroline said.

"There's no place I know of with that name." Klaus said leaning forward, trying to peer into her eyes. "Either you live impossibly far from here or I should have asked _when _are you from."

"Is that number three?" Caroline asked softly.

"No. Don't answer that." Klaus said quietly. "Tell me this, why do you look at me like you've seen me before…like you know me?"

"You just look like someone I know." Caroline said carefully, unsure how to proceed.

"Handsome fellow, then?" Klaus said with a laugh, lying down on the cold ground.

"Arrogant, selfish and intense." Caroline said as she scooted from him before lying down on her side, facing away from Klaus. "But a beautiful disaster."

"Wait and see, Caroline." Klaus said. "Maybe I am that man after all. Goodnight, love."

"Good night, Klaus." Caroline said closing her eyes, falling asleep to the steady rhythm of the human next to her.

* * *

They walked in silence, Klaus leading the way through the woods. Sunlight peeked through the leaves above them but it did nothing to erase the night before.

Caroline cleared her throat, "Look, I get why I'm all tense and anxious over meeting the rest of your family who will likely not be as open-minded as you are about _me_…but if anything, you're a bigger bundle of nerves."

Klaus didn't answer and merely gestured with his head that they should head towards the right.

"At least tell me what I'm getting myself into?" Caroline said without missing a beat beside him. "Your turn to answer questions, buddy."

Klaus shook his head impatiently, "All you need to know is to make sure no one gets close enough to touch, keep yourself out of trouble and figure out a way to get Rebekah to stop being so suspicious because she will unravel your secret faster than you can get back to wherever it is you're from."

"Niklaus!"

The loud voice boomed through the space around them. Caroline's head turned sharply towards the sound, noting it was a few meters ahead where the line of trees stopped.

Klaus swallowed the lump in his throat. "And whatever you do…do not make my father angry."

Mikael walked into view, completely oblivious of the presence of Caroline as he pulled Klaus by the neck of his shirt. "What did I tell you, boy? Did I not make myself clear that you were to make sure your sister stayed home yesterday? And what do you do? You let her get her way and almost got yourself in the middle of a storm…worse with those _wolves_ about! You should be thankful they got home or you would not have a home to return to!"

"I apologize, father… It will not happen again." Klaus said shaking. "Are they safe?"

"They are unharmed, no thanks to you." Mikael seethed raising his arm and Klaus cringed waiting for the blow. "The next time this happens…"

Caroline moved and gripped Mikael's arm, "Sir, your son saved my life. He is a good person. He risked his own safety for a stranger. I hope that even in the middle of all the mistakes you imagine he made, you find it in you to be proud of him."

Mikael turned to Caroline as he pulled his arm from her grasp. Klaus quickly stepped in between the two and extended an arm to push Caroline behind him.

Mikael looked from Caroline to his son. "You should find someone braver to hide behind. This one will get you killed sooner or later. I'd say welcome but it seems you've already made yourself quite at home."

With that Mikael left the pair, walking off as if nothing had happened.

Klaus waited a few seconds before turning around. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. He can't hurt me." Caroline said waving it off. "I should be asking you the same thing. But you don't even look surprised this happened…in fact you expected it, didn't you?"

"I shouldn't let Rebekah get her way too often." Klaus said turning away. "I spoil her far too much for her own good."

Caroline leaned to the side so that Klaus would see her. "Your sister isn't fragile. She has her own mind and mistakes to make. This isn't on you."

"It would make no difference to my father." Klaus said in a tight voice. "Sometimes…sometimes I just want to run from here. Take my family away from him…leave him to the wolves. Maybe then we will know peace."

She shook her head, baffled at the man who stood before her, beginning to understand the hybrid she once thought she knew well. "If you do that, you'll always be on the run, looking over your shoulder and just waiting for that moment he catches up to you. You keep moving that you miss what's important."

Klaus smiled, but the emptiness stayed in his eyes, "But I'll see the world past this tiny town of ours. There has to be something more than this."

"There is. You'll see it and be part of history. You can claim to have experienced so much when you go out there but in the end you will still be that boy who didn't stand his ground. You will get all self-destructive when you get close to calling a place home." Caroline said rapidly, slowing down to touch his arm lightly. "You remember the guy I said you reminded me of? He was so greedy for power so that no one could hurt him, so that he could run faster and farther so that his demons can't chase him down. But along the way…I guess he lost sight of where he wanted to go. He hurt me as many times as he saved me, maybe more. He cared about his family but they took a backseat to all his schemes. Somehow, one day he did manage to find his way back, be that good man again…but it was too late. All he knew was running, how to leave when it felt too much like home. He promised to be there in the end but I don't trust it because he doesn't know how to be happy anymore."

Caroline sighed and squeezed his arm. "So don't start running, Klaus. Stay here, stand up straight, hold up your head, believe you are a good person and show Mikael what you're made of."

"For now." Klaus nodded and tilted his head towards the clearing, waiting for Caroline to start walking beside him before he spoke. "I never told you my father's name."

Caroline scrunched up her face when she realized her slip, deciding denial was still her best course of action. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"If you say so." Klaus merely smiled, looking sideways at her." That man you keep talking about…he would be a fool to stay away from you when clearly he's in love with you."

"Again, I don't know what you're talking about." Caroline sighed letting Klaus walk ahead as she whispered to herself. "But yes, he's a fool…and I think I am too."


	3. Chapter 2: The Dark Knight

**Beauty and the Immortal**

**Disclaimer: The characters and other things from The Vampire Diaries don't belong to me. Credit goes to the rightful owners**

_**Chapter 2: The Dark Knight**_

Caroline leaned against a tree as she watched Klaus teach Henrik how to hunt. They'd never catch whatever it was given the noise the younger boy was making. Klaus knew it but he let Henrik crouch low, tongue peeking out from the corner of his lips as he frowned in concentration while he tiptoed toward the target. Caroline wanted to intervene but she didn't want to risk annoying the only two people who actually didn't mind her there, especially since it's been almost a month and she still has not found a way back to her own time.

She sighed inwardly as she decided it was a good thing Henrik took longer than usual to learn this particular lesson on stealth. Caroline was not looking forward to going back to the house. She would gladly take this over Rebekah's incessant questioning, or Elijah's suspicion or the watchful eyes of Esther. Then there was Finn who seemed almost afraid of her and Kol who had almost figured out her secret more times than she was comfortable with. Caroline didn't even know where to begin with Mikael, the ticking time bomb that studiously ignored her existence but seemed to wait only for a trigger to lash out.

Klaus turned around to smile at Caroline, falling back a few steps to stand beside her. "I know, I know, I'd be better off just teaching my brother to set a trap. But…"

"You can't find it in you to break his heart and tell him he's horrible at this?" Caroline supplied in a whisper.

Klaus shook his head, suppressing a smile, "No…it's because this is the perfect excuse to bring him out here…away from our _neighbors_."

"Of course, how can I forget? They are such a delight to be around." Caroline said tiredly, remembering all the glares and cold looks she received after being introduced to them. Granted there was no name yet for her kind at this point but the enmity was there. She was not a friend to the werewolves and even in their human form they could sense that. Klaus picked up on it but never really said a word and instead just made sure she never had to spend time with them. "I'm just glad it's not yet the full moon."

"It doesn't matter." Klaus said. "It's not safe for Henrik to be around them."

Upon mention of his name, Henrik tripped as if on cue. Klaus rushed to his brother's side when he heard a small whimper. Henrik tried to hide his pain but he hissed painfully as Klaus tried to examine the wound on his leg.

"Come on, let's get you home." Klaus said as he tried to pick up Henrik.

"No!" Henrik protested. "We need to clear out the traps and bring home what they caught. Father will be angry if we don't."

"You're hurt. We should get back. I'll deal with Father." Klaus said determinedly, faltering only slightly at his last statement.

"No, brother." Henrik insisted. "Just be quick. Caroline can stay with me."

Klaus looked the blood on his brother's leg then at Caroline, silently asking if she could handle it knowing her…_weakness_ when it came to blood, having witnessed her feed once before.

Caroline merely rolled her eyes at Klaus and sat down next to Henrik. "Go. We'll be fine, right Henrik?"

Henrik nodded and waved away his brother. Klaus relented and looked at his brother straight in the eyes. "Yell really loudly if there's _any_ danger. Do you hear me? Caroline…_please._"

"Give me a little credit." Caroline said shooing him away. "Go."

"I'll be back soon." Klaus clenched his fists, his jaw tight as he hesitated then turned around to leave.

Henrik waited until they were alone before he turned to Caroline. "He can be quite protective…but it doesn't mean he doesn't trust you. He does. It's just that he's extra cautious this close to the full moon."

"He does, Henrik. But this isn't about the full moon." Caroline said quietly. "It's not the only danger around. Your brother is wise to recognize that."

"You wouldn't hurt me, even if you can." Henrik said with a smile. "I know you're strong and not…not quite like everyone else. But you are no danger to me."

"What makes you so sure?" Caroline said raising her eyebrows.

"Because you would not betray my brother like that." Henrik said simply. "It's nice to see someone protective of Niklaus for a change. Far too often, it is the other way around. He spares my feelings far more than he should."

Caroline smiled, "I think he's not ready for you to grow up just yet but you're already aware of your realities, aren't you?"

"I cannot hunt as well as my siblings. I cannot even fight better than Rebekah, who knows her way around a blade even if Father forbid her to learn how to use one." Henrik said quietly.

Caroline nudged his shoulder with hers, "You're smart. Believe me that's going to get you to win fights someday."

"Maybe." Henrik said thoughtfully as Klaus approached. "But it might not be enough to save my life."

* * *

"This way." Klaus whispered urgently. "We need to get back before they notice we're gone."

"I should have worn my pants today. Where are we going anyway?" Caroline asked as she kept her hand firmly in Klaus' as they weaved through the trees.

"You'll see." Klaus said, his eyes locked on the path ahead of them. "It's worth it, I promise."

"It better be." Caroline said. "Are you sure we can't do this on a night that's _not_ a full moon? We're just a tad too far for a quick run, even for someone like me."

"Feel free to turn back, Caroline." Klaus said with a small smile as he released her hand. "With or without you, I'm going…I'm not missing this. You shouldn't but I'm not going to force you."

Caroline looked up in exasperation and placed her hand in his again. "For future reference, flowers are just fine. Grand gestures, though welcome, are not required to get my attention."

Klaus smiled, "Now why would I do what everyone else is bound to do? I am no ordinary mortal, my lady. I do not intend to simply catch your attention, as you so put it."

"Do tell." Caroline played along, letting him link their arms together as the path cleared towards a ledge facing the open sky. "What are your intentions?"

Klaus said nothing but tugged on her hand. They walked right to the edge just as the shooting stars appeared, raining from the sky and illuminating the darkness.

"Wow." Caroline said, her eyes transfixed on the phenomenon, lifting her hand to the sky as if she could touch it from where they stood.

Klaus looked at her sideways, a soft smile on his face. "My intention, Caroline, is to see you smile everyday for the rest of our days."

Caroline said nothing but smiled as she continued to watch, shifting her hand so that it was entwined with Klaus'.

After a few seconds, Caroline squeezed his hand. "Thank you."

Klaus opened his mouth to speak when the clouds parted and revealed the full moon. A howl shattered the silence around them followed by a scream that tore Klaus' heart.

"Henrik." Klaus said, all the color draining from his face. "He….no…he didn't."

"Are you sure?" Caroline asked taking a step forward, wary about the danger they now faced.

"He's been so curious about the wolves." Klaus said as he finally got himself to move forward. "He cannot fight, Caroline. He cannot even run fast. I need to get to him."

"Wait. Let me listen. Just stand still." Caroline pulled him to a stop, letting her senses sharpen and take over as she gripped Klaus' hands. She scanned their surroundings, trying to listen and track down Henrik's location. She pointed to a worn down path to their left. "There. He's close but so are they. Run back. I'll get him. I can move fast enough even if I have to carry him."

"I won't run from a fight." Klaus said in a low voice, his jaw clenched.

"We don't have time to debate this." Caroline said through her teeth.

"Exactly." Klaus said leading the way. "If it comes down to it, then you take my brother and run. Don't look back. I'll make sure they don't follow."

Caroline shook her head angrily. "I'm not leaving you behind."

"If that's what it takes to save Henrik, we both know you'll do it." Klaus said softly, touching Caroline lightly on the arm.

"This isn't how the story should go." Caroline said holding back tears, hearing the wolves closing in.

Klaus gave her a small smile as they saw Henrik from a distance. "And pray tell, how is this story supposed to go."

Klaus blinked and opened his eyes to find Caroline already beside Henrik, examining the boy's leg. He ran the rest of the way and fell on his knees beside Henrik. "Are you alright?"

The boy didn't reply, whimpering in pain as tears streamed down his face. Caroline spoke up, "His leg is broken…he won't be able to run, much less walk."

Klaus looked into Caroline's eyes, "Take him and go. Now."

A low growl interrupted them, followed by another and another. They were surrounded by three grown werewolves; snarling and snapping, ready to pounce.

Klaus and Caroline stood up, backs to each other as they tried to keep Henrik out of sight.

"Can you still outrun them?" Klaus whispered in a low voice as he kept his eyes on the enemy before them, slowly pulling out a knife sheathed on his belt.

Caroline shook her head as she mirrored each step of the werewolf that faced her.

"Even if you run without us?" Klaus said slowly.

"I'm not leaving you." Caroline said automatically, her head whipping sharply to face him, surprised by the gentle look on his face.

"I will not hold it against you." Klaus said. "Save yourself."

Caroline reached down and pulled a knife from her boot. "I said I'm not leaving you. I've never abandoned a friend before and I'm not about to start now."

Klaus nodded once and before Caroline could react, he had thrown his knife straight through the air and hit one of the werewolves in the eye. Its howl of pain angered the other two, sending both charging towards them. Klaus picked up a thick branch and swung it toward one of the wolves. But the monster caught it with his teeth and bit into it then pulled it from his grip. It rushed towards Klaus, lifting its front paws from the ground to pounce but it stopped in midair when Caroline's own dagger sailed true to its heart. Klaus rushed towards Henrik just as Caroline catapulted over the werewolf in front of her, landing behind it. She wrestled with it, careful not to get close to its jaw as she fought to snap its neck. Caroline sighed when she heard the bone in her grip crack and the creature fell limp in her grasp.

Klaus propped Henrik against a rock and went to Caroline to check on her. It didn't even take five seconds but it was all that the last werewolf needed to pounce on the young boy to retaliate for the dagger in its eye. Klaus' vision went white with rage as howled and slammed into the werewolf, tackling it to the ground as he grabbed the hilt of the knife and twisted it in the monster's eye. The angered wolf tossed around but Klaus kept his grip, giving Caroline enough time to maneuver into the fight and plunge her hand into the creature's chest and pull out its heart.

The second the werewolf fell to the ground, Klaus ran to Henrik, placing his arms around the boy as he stared wildly at all the blood surrounding the boy.

"He's not breathing, Caroline." Klaus said shaking. "He's not breathing."

Another chorus of howls erupted around them. Caroline locked eyes with Klaus as she placed her hands on his face. "Listen to me. Take your brother and go. Run home as fast as you can. I will deal with the werewolves. He has a pulse, I can hear it, but it is very, very, very weak. Go, Klaus. Now."

Klaus nodded, trembling as he stood with Henrik in his arms. "Be safe, Caroline. Survive this. Please."

Caroline nodded, turning her back to them, choosing to face the danger than say goodbye. She heard them leave, running fast in the opposite direction. It was then she saw five pairs of eyes stare at her from the darkness. Without weapons, or any hope left, she crouched low and prepared to fight for her life.

They all leapt at her at the same time but none of them managed to touch her. The world around her stilled and all the sounds died away, muffled as if someone held their hands over her ears. The wolves clawed at an invisible wall between them. Caroline didn't question it but chose instead to run after Klaus and Henrik. She ran and ran, briefly wondering just how far she was that she still couldn't see them. She was moving faster than she ever had but the woods seemed endless and the night had already begun to give way to dawn.

Without warning the scene around her changed and she found herself right behind Klaus, who carried the lifeless body of Henrik towards their family. Klaus laid down the body of his brother then sat on the ground, knees to his chest as he rocked back in forth in his grief. Caroline reached out to him and found she could not touch him. She screamed his name as loud as she could but no one could hear her. Caroline tried to hit him, shake him or just hold him but nothing worked. When he stood up and ran to the woods, she followed and kept pace with him as he ran in circles, tears running down his face without end.

"Where are you? Where? Where?" Klaus muttered over and over until he stopped suddenly and picked up something from the ground—a piece of cloth soaked in blood.

Caroline's fingers brushed against her leg and found that he held part of his dress. She watched as he fell to his knees, lifted his face to the heavens and let out a silent scream that pierced through her.

"I'm right here, Klaus." Caroline sobbed, trying in vain to get his attention, to just know she was there with him. "I'm okay. I'm right here."

In the end, she simply chose to sit next to him in silence until his shoulders stopped shaking, and his breathing didn't sound like he was chasing air. She watched him run out of tears, curl into a fetal position as if it would keep reality from touching him.

"It's time to go, child. You do not belong here."

Caroline turned to the voice with a frown. "Who are you? Why can you see me?"

"I am Ayana," the woman said gently, "I have come to help send you back to your time. At least, I hope to try. Much change has already been brought about by your presence here. I only wish I could have known sooner."

"Wait, can't you send me back a day first? Save Henrik…save Klaus from all this pain." Caroline said her eyes on the man that lay still on the ground. "I can change this."

"No, child." Ayana said firmly. "Henrik was not meant to survive this. Changing that will not help Niklaus. The consequences are too dire to imagine."

"Please." Caroline asked but Ayana shook her head. "At least let me say goodbye. Don't let me leave like this…with him thinking I'm dead."

"This is how it must be." Ayana said. The witch waved her hands and Caroline's protests were drowned out by whirlwind that enveloped her, crushing her until everything went dark and all thought abandoned her.

* * *

Caroline woke to rain falling softly on her face. She struggled to stand, slipping a few times on the slippery ground. She looked around and saw a light by the edge of the road. By the looks of it she still wasn't in Mystic Falls and still in a different time. Caroline sighed and trudged towards the house. She knocked on the door and called out.

"Hello? Anybody home?"

The lights inside immediately went out and windows shut almost instantaneously.

"Okaaaay." Caroline said as she stepped back into the rain and moved towards the next house she could see.

She was rejected exactly ten times, none of the residents even daring to speak to her, before she reached the mansion at the end of the road. The path wound up to a driveway that led straight to a massive structure that was ablaze with, what Caroline could only assume, ten thousand candles.

She raised her hand to knock but the door opened before she made contact. Caroline went in and was about to call out when someone slammed into her and moved behind her, holding a knife to her throat.

"Vampires are not allowed passage into this town unless I give my permission…and I don't recall granting you one, stranger. You have exactly 60 seconds to convince me why I shouldn't saw off your head with my blade."

"Klaus." Caroline whispered. She felt him go still against her, his shock radiating through his body.

"No." Klaus whispered. He spun her around and pushed her away. "This is impossible. I saw…no…no."

"It's me." Caroline said slowly, walking towards him with careful steps. "It's me…Caroline."

"No!" Klaus screamed as he threw the knife towards her and pinned her against the wall as the tip of the blade caught on her sleeve. "You are not _her!_ She is dead, doppelganger!"

"I am not a doppelganger!" Caroline said. "Look at my clothes! Klaus, look at me. Don't you think it's too much of a coincidence that I look exactly as I did the last time you saw me?"

"A mere deception. Your kind is quite cunning. I've learned that lesson the hard way with Katerina." Klaus hissed. "Did she send you? Did she?!"

"What? Katherine? She's here?" Caroline asked confused. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Do not lie to me!" Klaus roared in her face. Caroline matched his stare, not blinking or even moving just a fraction as they watched each other. She waited out the seconds and the minutes until Klaus took a step back.

"Klaus." Caroline started, waiting for him to interrupt. He didn't so she continued. "You asked me that day how this story was supposed to go. I never got to answer you, did I?"

Caroline kept her eyes on him as she pulled the knife from the wall. She turned the knife so that the hilt was extended to Klaus. "No, I never heard an answer. And it doesn't matter anymore. That man you claim to know is long dead. He died when his brother did. And if there was anything left, it was eviscerated when his mother turned him into a monster. I am no longer human. I no longer care."

"Then why do are you looking at me like you want me to prove you wrong?" Caroline whispered, placing the knife in his hand. "It's me, Klaus. How many shooting stars will it take for you to believe me?"

His resolve began to crumble but he steeled himself and turned away from her.

"You can stay for the night. But be gone by the morning." Klaus said coldly as he turned to walk away from her. "You are not Caroline. I have mourned her loss for centuries…I mourn still. I am not foolish to fall for your lies. I will not live through that kind of pain again. I will rip out your heart to save myself from having to see your face again and be reminded of what I lost. Be gone by morning or you will not live past it."


	4. Chapter 3: Far far away

**Beauty and the Immortal**

**Disclaimer: The characters and other things from The Vampire Diaries don't belong to me. Credit goes to the rightful owners**

_**Chapter 3: Far far away**_

The world was ending. At least that's how it felt like to Caroline. The earth was shaking and she felt like she was being wrapped in a blanket of flames.

"Wake up!"

The voice was urgent but Caroline refused to listen. She wanted to run and hide, find a way to save herself. But the voice was insistent and its owner gripped her by the shoulders and shook her.

Caroline's eyes flew open and found Klaus' staring into her, the frantic energy alive in his blue eyes. Flames licked at the curtains and slowly crept to her bed.

"What is going on?" Caroline said looking around.

"I'm burning the house down." Klaus said quickly, tearing his gaze from her and glanced wildly around them. He moved towards the corner and picked up an old heavy chair. Without much effort he flung it towards the window and shattered the glass.

Klaus held out his hand to Caroline, "Are you coming or would you prefer to be a pile of ashes by sunrise?"

"I thought you wanted me gone? Why are you saving me?" Caroline asked warily.

Klaus looked up and rolled his eyes, stretching out his hand insistently, "Now is not the time to question me. All you need to know is if you want to live, I suggest you get the hell out of bed right now."

Caroline glared at his hand and threw of the covers, running then diving straight out the window. Klaus landed on the ground no more than a second after she did.

"Well, doppelganger or not, you have the stubborn part of Caroline down to an art." Klaus said shaking his head.

"I'm perfectly capable of saving myself, thank you very much." Caroline said falling into step beside him. "I just wanted to know why _you_ wanted to get me out of the place you just burned down."

"Believe me, I want to know the answer to that myself." Klaus said with a tired sigh. "But let's you and I just focus on getting out of here without leaving a trail, shall we?"

"What's got you running, Klaus?" Caroline asked.

Klaus' expression softened for a second when she mentioned his name, hardening once more when they reached the edge of the property. "Mikael."

Caroline felt an ache in her chest, wishing she could ask more about what happened since she last saw him. But she simply nodded in understanding, "Where do we go from here?"

Klaus shook his head, "No details. You are to follow me or stay behind. Those are my rules."

Caroline let out a frustrated sigh and placed her hand in his. "Are you sure this isn't just some ploy to hold my hand?"

Klaus laughed, her comment blindsiding her, "I've lived well past when I should have died as a mortal, met witches and saw magic I only imagined in dreams so my guess is you are either a doppelganger or the very same Caroline I met before, somewhat lost in time. If you are the latter and you know some future version of myself, let me tell you something, love…right here, right now…I've not yet fallen for you."

Caroline smiled, "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Klaus."

Klaus remained silent but held tight as he navigated them through the forest and past a village that slept without even knowing that two vampires passed in the night. They ran for hours. Caroline felt her shoes already begin to thin out, the soles unable to withstand the sharp rocks they passed, which cut through easily and quickly as they kept on at such a speed that did not allow for her to heal.

"Just a little more." Klaus whispered without turning, squeezing her hand gently. Caroline nodded and kept pace with him, biting her lip to keep from complaining.

The sun began to rise over them when Caroline caught sight of a small house, really more a shed than anything, attached to a barn.

"We will stop here for now." Klaus said when they got to the door. "He should still be busy with tracking down clues from the fire."

Caroline winced as she took one step, only to fall against Klaus. He frowned and looked at the pool of blood at her feet. "I'm sorry."

"It's not like I won't heal. I'll be fine in an hour or so, I think." Caroline said, hissing when she tried to stand up straight again.

"Should I just wait for you inside then? Or would you like me to watch you hobble and bleed your way through the door?" Klaus asked deadpan.

Caroline narrowed her eyes at him, prepared to fire back but she didn't get the chance. Before she could speak, she felt the ground vanish from beneath her, strong arms holding her securely.

"This is completely unnecessary." Caroline said, annoyed with herself upon the realization she could not keep the relief from her voice when her feet were no longer under so much pressure.

"I agree." Klaus said as he kicked the door in, rattling the entire structure. "But we don't have time to waste on your pain."

Klaus set her down on the small bed by the window, far more carefully than Caroline expected. He took off the tattered shoes from her feet, his lips becoming a thin line when he examined the damage. "This will take longer than just an hour. You should have said something."

"Stopping might have meant the difference between getting here safely and…not." Caroline said softly.

"Rest." He sighed but did not argue. Klaus walked towards the window on other side of the room and stared outside. "I'll wake you when we need to leave."

"Aren't you going to get some sleep?" Caroline asked blinking slowly, already giving in to exhaustion. "I can stay up if you need to."

"Haven't you heard?" Klaus said softly. "There is no rest for the wicked. Close your eyes, love. I'll keep watch. You're safe."

"Okay." Caroline mumbled tiredly, letting her eyelids close and falling asleep.

Her dreams were a haze of memories and wishes. She moved through flashbacks of Klaus, Henrik and of her own life back in Mystic Falls. Her childhood with Matt, Bonnie and Elena came into view, all of them laughing as they walked down the street with their arms linked. Caroline saw something and turned to check what it was, pulling away from them but Bonnie held on to her, telling her not to go. But Caroline merely looked at her and smiled, yanking harder when Bonnie wouldn't release her. The sound that caught her attention became louder and she pulled her arm away from Bonnie, who was practically hysterical at this point.

Then Caroline recognized the voice. Klaus. She turned to Bonnie and shot her a look of apology as she broke free from the grasp and ran towards the voice.

Caroline sat straight up in bed, completely disoriented until her eyes settled on Klaus. He was stretched out on two rickety chairs pushed together to form a makeshift bed, tossing and turning as he whimpered, tears falling from his closed eyes.

"No." Klaus whispered in his sleep. "I'm sorry. I did not mean to. I knew not what I was doing. Forgive me. I'm still your son. I'm not a monster. I'm sorry."

Caroline ran to his side, placed a hand on the side of his face. "Klaus, wake up. It's just a dream. Wake up, sweetie. Come on. Wake up."

Klaus' eyes flew open, fear and anxiety clouding them as he searched the room for an unknown enemy. "What…"

"Shhh." Caroline whispered, pulling him into her arms. "Just a bad dream. There's no one here. We're okay."

"Mikael." Klaus said standing up quickly, making both of them lose their balance for a bit. "We need to leave. Right now."

"Klaus—" Caroline started.

"No," Klaus said rounding on her, his eyes flashing. "We do not talk about this. That time in our history is long over. You do not get to lecture me about what demons I should deal with and how I should be with my family. It is not your place. There is nothing to be gained by standing up to Mikael. I am choosing to leave him and his cruelty behind. If you will keep hounding me about my decision then stay here. Wait for death. I care not anymore, Caroline."

Caroline nodded and took a step towards him. "I'm not a doppelganger."

Klaus closed his eyes briefly. "No, you are not. I should only be so lucky to have found another one with exactly the same personality as you."

"I didn't die that day." Caroline said her eyes blurring with tears. "I wanted to tell you. I tried but you know witches and their spells. It took so long but I'm finally going to get to say what I needed to tell you."

Caroline walked over to Klaus and placed her arms around him. "I'm right here, Klaus. I'm right here. And I'm so sorry about all you've lost. If I could go back in time again and save you from all this pain…but I can't…all I can do is be here for you, for as long as I can be."

Klaus shook as he held in his emotions. He closed his eyes to keep tears from falling and placed his hands on her shoulders, putting distance between them. "We need to go. Rebekah has some shoes you can borrow. They're in that closet over there. Put them on and follow. I'll be outside."

Caroline blinked, recoiling as if he shoved her away. She shook herself out of it and did as he instructed. Walking out into the night she found him holding the reins of a horse, not unlike the one he had at his mansion at Mystic Falls.

"I wasn't expecting company so there's only one." Klaus explained. "Mikael tracked me down faster this time so I didn't have time to adjust my plans. Anyway, this is only until we get to—"

"Where exactly are we going, Klaus? At least, tell me the next step."

"Fine." Klaus said, taking her hand to help her up, following once she was securely seated. "We're picking up Rebekah. I'm not taking any chances that Mikael find her first."

"He wants to kill her too?" Caroline asked, as they started off, almost falling from the sudden movement.

"No," Klaus said taking her hands and wrapping her arms around his waist, before picking up the reins again. "But he would not think twice about using his own daughter as bait to lure me in. Elijah can hold his own but Rebekah…"

"And your other siblings…where are they?" Caroline asked.

"Where Mikael can't touch them." Klaus said with steel in his voice. "I'd hold on if I were you. I assure you that if Mikael gets wind of your existence…you'd be lucky if he uses you as bait. He will not hesitate to kill you and send your head to me as a warning."

Caroline rested her face on his back and wrapped her arms a bit tighter, "What do I have to do with any of this?"

"It's his mission to kill me or at the very least make sure I lead a miserable existence, devoid of any kind of happiness." Klaus said narrowing his eyes, watching the road with such focused intensity. "Your presence will make the first quite difficult to achieve since you can hold your own in a fight as you're not a frail mortal. And well…the second is quite impossible when you are around."

"Seriously?" Caroline asked, trying to peek around at him. She felt laughter rumble through him even before she heard the sound.

"Yes, _seriously_." Klaus answered without taking his eyes off the road. "We walked out of a burning house, my own lest you forget, and I laughed because you thought I did all of that just to hold your hand. Caroline, I haven't laughed and meant it for over a century.

Without warning a small boy ran in front of them and Klaus pulled on the reins hard. The horse threw them both off and stomped around wildly.

"Check on the boy!" Klaus said as he tried to get control of the animal.

Caroline ran towards the small boy who stared at the horse in shock. "Hey there, are you okay?"

The small boy nodded and looked up at her without a word. Caroline knelt down so that she was level with him. "What's your name?"

The boy stayed silent and looked past her shoulder. Caroline turned around and found a man walking out of the shadows.

"Mikael," she whispered. Klaus noticed him at the same time and immediately moved in front of Caroline, trying to shield her from view.

"Quite the unpleasant reunion, isn't it?" Mikael said leaning to the side to meet Caroline's stare. "Isn't it a shame that protecting people isn't Niklaus' strong suit? By the end of tonight, you'll just be another one he cannot save. Isn't that right? But it won't make a difference because he will join you in death."

"Fight me." Klaus said shakily. "That's what you want, right? Then stop talking and have at it."

"Alright." Mikael said pointing the sword at the boy. "You—it's time to leave. Thank you for your services…you don't need to see this."

Without a word, the child ran from Caroline's side and out of sight. Before she could react, Klaus had already retrieved his own weapon sheathed on the side of their horse and blocked a blow from Mikael. Father and son danced to the rhythm marked by the clash of steel, following a beat that she feared would not end in their favor. She glimpsed a stake tucked in Mikael's jacket, the one that was made out of white oak she assumed. When the fight seemed to sway to Klaus favor, he made the mistake of turning away for just a brief second to check on Caroline.

"Klaus, look out!" Caroline screamed. Klaus turned around in less than a second but it would have been too late had his horse not moved faster to take the fatal hit, its head severed cleanly by Mikael's sword.

Caroline fell to her knees in shock. Klaus blinked, rocked to the core by what his father had done. Mikael was unrelenting and struck again but this time Klaus was filled with a fury that cleared his mind, his sword catching the other midway and giving him an opening to throw a dagger clean through to Mikael's chest.

Klaus walked away from the fight, knowing with certainty his aim was true as he stalked towards Caroline. "Get up. We need to run. That won't hold him for long."

"The horse…"

"Will still be dead whether you stare at it or run from it. So unless you would like your own head to be severed from your body, get up now and run." Klaus said almost pleading with her to move.

Caroline got up and ran with him. This time she didn't bother counting the minutes or hours, or notice the pain. She was numb. She couldn't feel anything except his hand in hers as they put as much distance between them and Mikael.

And when she didn't expect it, Klaus just stopped and fell on his knees, head down. His shoulders shook with dry sobs and Caroline sank to the ground beside him. She wrapped her arms around him and let him rest his head on her shoulders.

With tears in his eyes, he pulled away and looked at her. "I am not weak. I am undead. I take blood when and how I wish it. I have killed my way through towns because I _can_. I am not afraid. I am not weak."

Klaus took Caroline's hand and placed it on his chest. "My heart does not beat. It does not feel _anything_. It does not care. It cannot love."

"But it can lie." Caroline said gently.

"I know." He placed a hand on her cheek and let his face be stripped of all its masks. "And such beautiful lies they are. It makes all of this so much easier to bear. But when it falls away…there's only pain, fear and everything else I hid away. So I can't fall apart."

Caroline touched his forehead with hers, "Let it all go. No one is watching. It's just me. Only me."

Klaus nodded and looked at Caroline as tears blurred his vision, wishing she could feel his gratitude as he let himself fall apart in her arms.


End file.
